Finally, Something To Push Action On GBR Bleaching; Spectre Of Vanishing Tourist $$$$
If the bleaching continues on the Great Barrier Reef, tourists say they will pack their bags and go elsewhere, taking with them an estimated $1bn a year and costing 10,000 jobs in regional Queensland, according to a new poll. The majority of Chinese tourists, and about a third of UK and US tourists, said if severe bleaching continues, and “some of the reef dies completely,” they would be more likely to visit somewhere other than Australia, according to the online polling of more than 4,000 people commissioned by the Australia Institute
If they did visit Australia, 63% of Chinese, 42% of US and 37% of UK tourists said they’d visit somewhere other than the Great Barrier Reef. Similarly, 37% of Australian tourists said the same thing.
EDIT
If bleaching continued, and the surveys accurately reflected what tourists would do, the Australia Institute calculated it would mean the regions adjacent to the reef would miss out on more than one million tourists a year – almost a third of the total numbers. This could mean losses of $931m, leading to 10,0000 job losses, the report authors found.
“While there has been lots of talk about the potential tourism impacts of coral bleaching, this is the first time anyone has gone to our key tourism markets and asked them what they might do if we aren’t able to better protect the reef,” said the executive director of the Australia Institute, Ben Oquist.
“The Chinese market is particularly sensitive, with 55% more likely to visit another country. Among Chinese people who travel regularly, this rate is even higher, up to 65%. Chinese tourists are attracted by Australia’s relatively clean environment, so they respond strongly to changes in that perception.”
EDIT
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/21/great-barrier-reef-tourists-will-go-elsewhere-if-bleaching-continues-poll
Ed. - Of course, now that it's WAY too fucking late, the long-term costs of non-policy may be finally dawning on the coalition of downer cattle "governing" Australia.
